Renewable fuel statistics 2022: Third provisional report
Published 9 February 2023
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About this release
This quarterly release covers the supply of renewable fuel for transport in the UK for the 2022 calendar year so far. It is based on data available on 3 January 2023 which has been reported under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The data for a given year is not finalised until September the following year: suppliers of fuel in 2022 can submit applications up to the 14 May 2023 and as such this is a provisional report. The final report for 2022 is scheduled for release in November 2023.
The RTFO scheme reduces greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels by setting annual obligations on fuel suppliers to supply sustainable renewable fuels.
Renewable fuels are often blended with conventional fuels such as petrol or diesel, but as they come from renewable feedstocks including waste products and residues, their overall greenhouse gas emissions are lower when we consider the entire life cycle of the fuel.
Future of the renewable fuels provisional reports
From June 2023, we are intending to produce and publish tables on a monthly or quarterly basis in lieu of quarterly reports, with a final written report each year in November. As a result of these proposed changes, the provisional reports of 2023 would not be published, and instead we would provide tables only from this point onward. We have created a survey to collect feedback on this proposal, which will start running on 9 February 2023 along with the next provisional release for 2022, and will run until 23 March 2023.
Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
The timeline of this publication series includes periods of coronavirus (COVID-19) related restrictions. As such, figures in this release may be affected and should be interpreted with caution.
Main findings
The main findings of this report show that:
- 2,855 million litres equivalent (eq.) of renewable fuel have been supplied, which constitutes 7% of total road and non-road mobile machinery fuel for 2022 in the UK
- certificates have been issued to 1,798 million litres eq. (63% of all renewable fuel) so far under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation see Background information
- of these 1,798 million litres eq., an average greenhouse gas (GHG) saving of 81% was achieved when compared to fossil fuel use. This drops to 75% when indirect land-use change (ILUC) is accounted for
- 11% of all verified renewable fuel supplied to the UK in this period was produced from UK origin feedstocks
Verified renewable fuel
Verified renewable fuel refers to fuel that has received Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs) for having met the Sustainability Criteria. For more, see the notes and definitions.
Figure 1: Volume of renewable fuel to which certificates have been issued, by fuel type (table RF_0105)
Since the 2021 reports, the biodiesel category includes biodiesel methyl ester (ME) and off-road biodiesel. These fuels were reported separately in previous years.
Of the 1,798 million litres eq. of renewable fuel verified so far in 2022, biodiesel comprised 43% of supply, and bioethanol 40%. There were also small amounts of other renewable fuels: for a full list, see table RF_0105 published with this report.
Figure 2: What is a renewable fuel?
Figure 3: Highlights - 2022
Below is a summary of the highlights from 2022 (Figure 3), which show that:
- renewable fuel made up 7% of total road and non-road mobile machinery so far in 2022
- of the 2,855 million litres eq. of renewable fuels, 1,798 million litres have been verified
- verified renewable fuels achieved an average greenhouse gas saving of 81%
- biodiesel made up 43% of verified renewable fuel
- bioethanol made up 40% of verified renewable fuel
- waste feedstocks made up 63% of verified renewable fuel
- 80% of biodiesel was produced from used cooking oil (UCO)
- 60% of bioethanol was produced from corn
- United Kingdom feedstocks made up 11% of verified renewable fuel
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) savings
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) savings
GHG savings represent the difference in GHG emissions between using renewable fuel, compared to the conventional fossil fuel they replace.
Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC)
Relates to the unintended consequences of changing land use for renewable fuel production. For example, the expansion of crop land for feedstocks driving deforestation elsewhere. This reduces the GHG savings from the renewable fuel produced.
Renewable fuels in the UK fuel supply achieved an aggregated greenhouse gas (GHG) saving of 81% compared to fossil fuels. Accounting for emissions from indirect land-use change (ILUC) reduces this GHG saving to 75%.
Development fuel
Development Fuel
Specific fuels made from sustainable wastes or residues (excluding segregated oils and fats such as used cooking oils and tallow) or renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs). These fuels are awarded two development fuel certificates per litre eq. of eligible fuel supplied.
A specific target for ‘development fuels’ was introduced from 1 January 2019. This target takes into account the fuel types and the feedstock. These fuels include aviation fuel, drop-in fuels, substitute natural gas and hydrogen (see notes and definitions).
The RTFO Administrator has verified 9.76 million litres eq. of development diesel and 5.55 million litres eq. of development petrol so far in 2022, which are renewable fuels and also qualified as development fuels.
13% of development diesel came from end of life tyres the remaining 87% came from organic municipal solid waste. 16% of development petrol also came from end of life tyres, 2% came from food waste and 82% came from organic municipal solid waste. All of the feedstock for these development fuels came from Poland and the United States.
Waste feedstock
Waste feedstocks made up 63% of all verified renewable fuel so far this year. 92% of the biodiesel, and 17% of the bioethanol, that was supplied for use in the UK, was produced from waste feedstocks.
Figure 4: Proportion of waste and non-waste feedstocks amongst verified renewable fuel (table RF_0105)
Renewable fuel produced from waste feedstocks typically delivers greater GHG savings than fuel derived from crop feedstocks. Therefore, they are encouraged under the RTFO and are typically awarded double certificates. Waste feedstocks include used cooking oil, organic municipal solid waste, waste agricultural products such as corn husks and sewage sludge.
Feedstock
Feedstocks
Any sustainable and renewable resource (biomass or renewable energy source) that can be converted into, or used directly, as a transport fuel or other energy product.
41% of all verified renewable fuel was produced from used cooking oil (UCO), which is used in several different types of renewable fuel. UCO comprised 80% of the feedstock fo biodiesel. For bioethanol, the most common feedstock was corn (60%). Corn-based bioethanol comprised 24% of total verified renewable fuel.
Figure 5: Supply of verified renewable fuel to the UK by feedstock and fuel type (table RF_0105)
Of the 194.2 million litres eq. of verified renewable fuel produced from UK origin feedstock, the most common by feedstock and fuel type combination was wheat for bioethanol (54.9 million litres, 28% of renewable fuel from UK origin feedstock). The most common source of biodiesel from UK origin feedstock was UCO (45.0 million litres, 23% of renewable fuel from UK origin feedstock).
Figure 6: UK origin verified renewable fuel by feedstock (table RF_0105)
Country of origin
11% of verified renewable fuel supplied for use in the UK so far this year was derived from UK feedstocks. The top 5 feedstock origin countries together account for 56% of renewable fuel.
Of the 1,798 million litres eq. of verified renewable fuel supplied so far in 2022, the most widely reported source for biodiesel supplied for use in the UK (by feedstock and country of origin) was UCO from China (228 million litres, 13% of verified renewable fuel supplied, 30% of total biodiesel supplied).
The most widely reported source for bioethanol supplied for use in the UK (by feedstock and country of origin) was corn from the United States (255 million litres, 14% of renewable fuel supplied, 35% of total bioethanol supplied), followed by sugar cane from Brazil (99 million litres, 6% of total renewable fuel, 14% of total bioethanol supplied).
Figure 7: Top 5 countries of origin for feedstocks which are used in UK renewable fuels (table RF_0105)
Certificates awarded under the RTFO
Double Counting
Fuel produced from certain wastes or residues, fuel from dedicated energy crops, and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) are incentivised by awarding double the RTFCs per litre or kilogram supplied. This means that each litre eq. of eligible fuel supplied counts double towards meeting suppliers’ obligations.
Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs)
RTFCs are awarded to transport fuel suppliers whose renewable fuel meets the sustainability criteria. In 2022, 2,922 million RTFCs have so far been issued to 1,798 million litres eq. of verified renewable fuel. This is out of a total of 2,855 million litres eq. supplied so far in 2022.
Double counting feedstock
Of the 2,922 million RTFCs awarded to renewable fuel that met the sustainability criteria, 2,248 million were issued to fuel from a ‘Double Counting’ feedstock.
Figure 8: Renewable fuel to which RTFCs have been issued (table RF_0102)
Background information
Sources of data in this report
Data on volumes of fuel, Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs) (issues, redemptions, surrenders, transfers) and Carbon & Sustainability (C&S) are held by the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) Administrator on the RTFO Operating System (ROS). Fuel volume data is submitted on a monthly basis by fuel suppliers to the RTFO Administrator and validated against HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) duty payment data.
C&S data is only reported once RTFCs have been issued. There will therefore be a difference between the volume of renewable fuel supplied and the number of RTFCs issued or C&S data available. The final report for an obligation period will show the final position.
Related information
Previously published reports can be found on the DfT website. The publication timetable can be found at Annex B.
GHG savings
Until 2021, to calculate average greenhouse gas (GHG) savings from renewable fuels, we have used the value of 83.8 grams of CO2 (equivalent) per MJ of energy contained in the fuel (gCO2eq/MJ) to represent the average figure of fossil fuel. Starting from 2022, the RTFO GHG methodology has been updated to use 94 gCO2eq/MJ to calculate GHG savings, in accordance with the latest evidence. The method for calculating the average GHG saving has also been updated from an average across fuel consignments to a weighted average taking account of the volume and energy content of the fuel.
Renewable fuel mix reporting
The data reported by fuel suppliers under the RTFO is in line with mass balance rules. A mass balance system requires suppliers throughout the supply chain to account for their product on a units in - units out basis, but does not require physical separation of certified feedstock or fuel from uncertified material. It ensures that for every unit of sustainable renewable fuel sold, the corresponding amount of sustainable feedstock has been produced. This can mean the actual feedstock mix might differ from that reported. Nonetheless, the feedstocks and renewable fuels reported in this document represent those that are incentivised and rewarded under the RTFO.
Obligations under the RTFO
Sustainability Criteria
To receive Renewable Fuel Certificates, fuels supplied must meet the sustainability criteria set out in the amended Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations Order 2007 and the RTFO Compliance Guidance. Renewable fuel must deliver minimum GHG savings and must not originate from land with high biodiversity value or carbon stock, unless stringent criteria are met.
Suppliers of fuel for road and non-road mobile machinery (for example, tractors) that supply 450,000 litres equivalent or more per year have an obligation under the RTFO Order. Obligated suppliers may meet their obligation by redeeming Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs) or by paying a fixed sum for each litre of fuel for which they wish to ‘buy-out’ of their obligation. RTFCs are gained by supplying sustainable renewable fuels. In 2022, such suppliers must redeem RTFCs and development fuel RTFCs (dRFTCs) equivalent to 12.6% and 0.9%, respectively, of the volume of fossil and unsustainable renewable fuel supplied.
One certificate may be claimed for every litre or equivalent (notes and definitions) of sustainable renewable fuel supplied. Fuel produced from certain wastes or residues, fuel from dedicated energy crops, and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) are incentivised by awarding double the RTFCs per litre or kilogram supplied.
The data for a given year is not finalised until September the following year. Partly as a result of this, 37% of renewable fuel so far supplied in 2022 is not yet verified. Each provisional report typically has a higher proportion of renewable fuel which has been verified, and the final report describes all verified renewable fuel supplied in the year.
Strengths and weaknesses of the data
C&S data is verified by independent verifiers and checked against the RTFO Guidance by the Administrator.
The Administrator validates volume data submitted by fuel suppliers against that held by the HMRC regarding fuel duty liabilities. Whilst the Administrator validates volume data against HMRC data at a company level, there is not an exact match between the volume of fuel reported in this report and the volume of fuel reported in HMRCs Hydrocarbon Oils bulletin.
Further details
Further information on the data can be found in the notes and definitions.
Official statistics
Official Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. However, these statistics have not been assessed by the Office for Statistics Regulation. Details of ministers and officials who received pre-release access to these statistics up to 24 hours before release can be found in the pre-release access list.
Annex A: Renewable fuel statistics content of tables
Reports are published quarterly.
This is the third report of 2022, of six total. The final report for 2022 is scheduled for release in November 2023, and will report on the carbon and sustainability performance of individual suppliers. All reports are made available online.
Table 1: Typical content of renewable fuel statistics tables
| Table | Previously reported as | Description | Provisional Report | Final Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RF_0101 | RTFO_01 | Volume of fuel supplied | Yes | Yes |
| RF_0102 | RTFO_02 | Fuels issued with RTFCs and number of RTFCs issued | Yes | Yes |
| RF_0103 | RTFO_03 | RTFC balance by obligation period | Yes | Yes |
| RF_0104 | RTFO_04 | RTFC trades to date by company type | Yes | Yes |
| RF_0105 | RF_0105a | RTFO wide carbon and sustainability data | Yes | Yes |
| RF_0105_TS | - | Feedstock and country of origin over time | No | Yes |
| RF_0106 | RTFO_06 | RTFO wide voluntary scheme data | Yes | Yes |
| RF_0107 | RTFO_07 | Performance against obligation by supplier | No | Yes |
| RF_0108a | RTFO_08a | Feedstock by supplier as a % of their supply | No | Yes |
| RF_0108b | RTFO_08b | Country of origin by supplier as a % of their supply | No | Yes |
| RF_0109 | RTFO_09 | % of renewable fuel that was sustainable by supplier | No | Yes |
| RF_0110 | RTFO_10 | Carbon and sustainability data by supplier | No | Yes |
| RF_0111 | RTFO_11 | RTFO wide fuel supply by volume and energy | No | Yes |
| RF_0112 | RTFO_12 | Civil penalties and other non-compliance | No | Yes |
| RF_0114 | - | Total greenhouse gas savings over time | No | Yes |
Annex B: Renewable fuel statistics reporting timescales
Table 2: Publication dates and contents of each report
Note: From June 2023, we are intending to produce and publish tables on a monthly or quarterly basis in lieu of quarterly reports, with a final written report each year in November. As a result of these proposed changes, the provisional reports of 2023 would not be published, and instead we would provide tables only from this point onward. We have created a survey to collect feedback on this proposal, which will start running on 9 February 2023 along with the next provisional release for 2022, and will run until 23 March 2023.
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Renewable fuel statistics